They are poisoning our wells

A press note published by the Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias (AVN) informs that “two terrorist actions have marked a new phase of the Venezuelan ultra-right [actions] in the last days: the poisoning of water in Mérida and the burning of two areas of the National Park Waraira Repano [Ávila]”

“The first event happened last Sunday in the water treatment plant of Bourgin, in the State of Mérida, where 100 liters of gasoil were emptied [into the water] endangering the lives of 180,000 inhabitants of the State, which represents 80% of the population. (…) The second terrorist act happened Monday afternoon when two areas of the National Park Waraira Repano were burnt…” explained the note.

The fires in the Ávila produced an energy blackout in northern Caracas which lasted through Monday night. According to the Electric Energy Minister, Jesse Chacón, “the way in which the event occurred leads us to conclude that it was intentional, first of all because the transmission lines that feed Caracas pass through the Waraira Repano.” 

The timing and place of the fires is also evidence of sabotage, according to Chacón: “First we had a fire in El Marqués at 6:00pm and we were able to control it, and then another one in the Cota Mil [Waraira Repano] at night. The fires were in in the two only places [in the park] where there are substations of the National Electric System.”

On the poisoning of Merida’s water supply, Environment Minister, Miguel Leonardo Rodríguez declared: “This was, from any point of view, a premeditated and macabre action. They gained access to the water pipe lines, the ones that are just outside the treatment plant, they perforated these pipes and poured in 100 liters of what we presume was gasoil.”

The AVN press note ends by putting these two events into context:

“These attacks on the waters supply the State of Merida and the National Electric System are part of the assault [arremetida] of terrorist groups that have also vandalized schools, university institutes, tourists infrastructure, and the transport system, all in the context of a destabilizing agenda that aims at generating a coup d’état in the country. As part of these attacks 36 people, civilians and officers of State security forces, have died.”